50 Men Who Made LFC: Ephraim Longworth

A ‘prince among full-backs’ and the first Liverpool player to captain England, Ephraim Longworth was a dominant and influential figure in the club’s early history.

His signing in 1910 was the last made by legendary secretary/manager Tom Watson and it was certainly one of his most inspired.

With a lock of hair hanging over his forehead, Longworth was an instantly recognisable figure whose composed style of play meant that his position at right-back was rarely threatened during his formative years on Merseyside.

One of the most consistent defenders Liverpool have ever had on their books, his Anfield career covered a remarkable 18 years, during which time he served the club with distinction and won two Championship medals.

Renowned as a superb striker of the ball with either foot, Longworth made a total of 371 appearances for Liverpool but famously never scored a goal.

He stayed on at the club for a long time after hanging up his boots, first as a faithful member of the backroom team and then on the Anfield ground staff.